When a radio unit incorporated in a facsimile device is made replaceable to make various radio units usable, a change in specification of communication between a facsimile body and a radio unit is made unnecessary. For this purpose, according to the present invention, a radio unit, which is united, for performing radio communication with another communication device, a controller for controlling the communication device, and an interface for performing communication of various control signals between the radio unit and the controller are arranged, the radio unit is replaced with another type of radio unit, and the interface and the control signal transmitting/receiving through the interface are shared regardless of the type of radio unit.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A communication device connectable to a communication line, comprising: a radio unit adapted to perform radio communication with an external wireless communication device; a communication unit adapted to communicate through at least the communication line with a second communication device; and an interface circuit adapted to perform communication of a control signal, which is common to a control signal that is used by another type of radio unit, between said radio unit and said communication unit, wherein the control signal is communicated between said radio unit and said communication unit when the wireless communication device performs communication with the second communication device through the communication line, and wherein said radio unit transmits a signal to the wireless communication device upon communication of the control signal between said radio unit and said communication unit.
2. A communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said radio unit controls radio communication depending on a type of the wireless communication device.
3. A communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said communication unit controls a first communication using said radio unit and a second communication that does not use said radio unit.
4. A communication device according to claim 3 , wherein said communication unit includes a switching function adapted to switch the first communication to the second communication, and when switching between the first and second communications is performed by the switching function, said radio unit transmits information for notifying that the communications are switched between each other to the wireless communication device.
5. A communication device according to claim 4 , wherein the information is a voice message, and said radio unit performs a transmission such that the wireless communication device can output the voice message.
6. A communication device according to claim 4 , wherein the information is a control signal.
7. A communication device according to claim 1 , wherein, when said radio unit cannot communicate with the wireless communication device in a communication with the wireless communication device, said radio unit transmits information for notifying that communication cannot be performed to the wireless communication device.
8. A communication device according to claim 7 , wherein the information is a voice message, and said radio unit performs a transmission such that the wireless communication device can output the voice message.
9. A communication device according to claim 7 , wherein the information is a control signal.
10. A communication device connectable to a communication line, comprising: a radio unit adapted to perform radio communication with an external wireless communication device; a communication unit adapted to communicate through at least the communication line with a second communication device; and an interface circuit adapted to perform communication of a control signal, which is common to a control signal that is used by another type of radio unit, between said radio unit and said communication unit, wherein the control signal is communicated between said radio unit and said communication unit when a first communication using said radio unit and a second communication without said radio unit are switched with respect to each other, and wherein said radio unit transmits a signal to the wireless communication device upon communication of the control signal between said radio unit and said communication unit.
11. A communication device connectable to a communication line, comprising: a radio unit adapted to perform radio communication with an external wireless communication device; a communication unit adapted to communicate through at least the communication line with a second communication device; and an interface circuit adapted to perform communication of a control signal, which is common to a control signal that is used by another type of radio unit, between said radio unit and said communication unit, wherein the control signal is communicated between said radio unit and said communication unit in accordance with the radio wave environment between said radio unit and the wireless communication device.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 15, 1997
March 11, 2003
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